10 Best DeFi Interest Rates With the Highest APYs in 2024

DeFi interest accounts enable investors to earn attractive returns on their cryptocurrency holdings. Crucially, DeFi interest rates are typically higher than those of traditional savings accounts.

In this guide, we evaluate which platforms currently offer the best DeFi interest rates. 

Reviewing the Best DeFi Interest Rate Providers

The global DeFi market is valued at $16.33 billion in 2023. This isn’t surprising, considering that DeFi platforms deliver numerous services – including trading, lending, and borrowing.

Top DeFi platforms also offer attractive interest rates for crypto holders looking to earn passive income. In this section, we explore the top platforms to earn the best DeFi interest rates.

1. Coinbase – Crypto Exchange With Market-Leading Interest Rates

Coinbase allows users to earn interest on 119 cryptocurrencies. Of this figure, 106 cryptocurrencies can be used for staking and 32 for DeFi yield farming. We found that Coinbase offers some of the best cryptocurrency interest rates for savings accounts in the market.

For instance, the estimated APY for Yearn.finance on Coinbase is 693.80%. And for Decimal tokens, it’s 109.69%. These rates are highly competitive in the DeFi yield farming market. For staking, the best interest rates offered are on Energi, at 52.80%.

Additionally, Coinbase supports cloud staking. This service allows users to delegate their cryptocurrencies to Coinbase’s public validators and earn rewards. Coinbase offers cloud staking for 15 cryptocurrencies. The yield varies from 0.5% to 91% – with the highest offered for Evmos tokens.

However, Coinbase charges a staking fee of up to 10% – depending on the chosen cryptocurrency. The DeFi interest terms depend on the specific product and the token being invested.  Nonetheless, we also found that Coinbase supports DeFi lending directly from its crypto wallet.

Coinbase wallet users can deposit their crypto funds into DeFi apps like Compound and dYdX. and start earning interest. It is also possible to cash out and withdraw funds directly to the wallet. With this option, users can lend Ethereum, USDC, Dai, and other popular cryptocurrencies and earn as much as 6% APR.

Aside from its DeFi interest rates, Coinbase is also known for its crypto exchange services. Investors can use Coinbase to buy new cryptocurrencies directly with fiat money. Furthermore, the platform supports trading and instant swapping of digital assets.

Check out the interest rates offered by Coinbase here.

2. ByBit – APYs of Over 500% on Selected Cryptocurrencies

ByBit is one of the best crypto staking platforms in the market. With ‘ByBit Earn’, users can access multiple interest-bearing products. This includes crypto savings accounts, staking, and liquidity mining. Additionally, some of its best DeFi interest rates are offered on dual asset tools.

This tool allows users to earn a fixed interest while capitalizing on market movements. Users can choose a token pair and a target price. The yield earned depends on the token’s price on the settlement date. While yields can be high, returns aren’t guaranteed due to volatility.

Hence, dual assets plans are rather complex and are best suited for experienced investors. Currently, ByBit provides up to 559.62% APR for USDT investments. Its dual asset tool supports over 40 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others.

Alternatively, ByBit savings accounts are suited for more risk-averse investors. There are both flexible and fixed-term products available for 20+ cryptocurrencies. Currently, ByBit offers 333% APR for ChainGPT tokens for a limited time. More popular cryptocurrencies, such as Solana and USDC, yield 6% and 8%, respectively.

Next, we have the ByBit liquidity mining accounts. The NEAR/USDT pair currently offers the highest DeFi interest rate at up to 12% APR. Additionally, ByBit also supports Ethereum 2.0 staking, providing an APR of up to 6%.

Check out current ByBit interest rates here.

3. Binance –  Multiple Interest-Earning Cryptocurrency Products

Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, has a multitude of interest-earning products catering to HODLers. This platform allows users to earn interest through crypto savings accounts, staking, and liquidity farming. Binance also happens to be one of the most highly-rated crypto lending platforms.

The interest rate depends on the chosen cryptocurrency, deposit terms, and the product. Its ‘Simple Earn’ tool is similar to a crypto savings account and is available for over 340 cryptocurrencies. Currently, the best DeFi interest rate offered on this tool is 37.9% – for Axie Infinity.

Users can also earn passive income via ‘DeFi staking’ on Binance. This tool is available for 14 cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, Ripple, Binance Coin, Tether, and more. The highest interest rate offered on DeFi staking is 5.39% for Aave tokens.

Binance also supports Ethereum 2.0 staking, offering an APR of 4.03% as of writing. Another option for earning interest is via liquidity farming. Currently, the highest DeFi rates are offered for ARPA/USDT, IDEX/BNB, and IDEX/USDT, at 23.31%, 23.14%, and 22.18%, respectively.

Binance also has dual investment products that offer high-yield returns. This is similar to ByBit’s dual asset tool. On Binance, dual investment interest rates on Solana pairs can go up to 141.54%. For BTC pairs, the highest rate offered is 114.87%.

Learn more about Binance Earn here.

4. MyContainer – Access High DeFi Interest Rates via Cold Staking

MyCointainer is a digital wallet that allows users to earn interest on their crypto holdings. After transferring assets to the MyContainer wallet, users can choose how they want to earn interest. The platform will automatically credit the returns to the user’s wallet.

Moreover, MyContainer is also compatible with third-party cold wallets like Ledger, and Trezor. Users can delegate coins to MyContainer nodes via their private wallets and earn returns directly.

MyContainer offers yields via DeFi and cold staking. In ‘Cold Staking’, users can delegate their assets to validators. Currently, cold staking is available for 24 cryptocurrencies. The highest DeFi interest rate is offered on RebusChain, at 105.1%.

Other supported cryptocurrencies include Polygon, Avalanche, Decimal, Harmony, and others. Those who prefer ‘DeFi staking’ can earn an interest of 12.05% on Aleph Zero. The deposit duration can be flexible or fixed.

All that being said, we found that MyContainer doesn’t support popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Dogecoin. Nevertheless, MyContainer offers convenience and above-average interest rates, especially for those preferring cold wallet storage.

Details about MyContainer’s staking products can be found here.

5. OKX – DEX Aggregator Offering Competitive DeFi Interest Rates

OKX is one of the best crypto apps catering to beginners and professionals alike. Aside from buying and selling crypto, investors can also use OKX to earn passive income on their holdings. For this, OKX functions as a DEX aggregator, working with over 200 DeFi protocols.

Its ‘On-chain Earn’ service offers users some of the highest crypto interest rates in the market. With this option, OKX participates in DeFi and PoS projects on the user’s behalf. Users simply need to subscribe to their preferred product, and OKX will handle the rest.

OKX facilitates on-chain earning support for many of the best staking coins. This includes Ethereum, ApeCoin, Compound, LooksRare, and others. The interest rates range from 0.04% to 49.87%, depending on the token.

Moreover, OKX doesn’t charge service fees or commissions for PoS staking or DeFi protocol participation. Additionally, OKX also offers ‘Simple Earn’ accounts. Here, users can deposit their crypto in a savings account, and OKX will lend it to others. In return, users will receive interest on the funds they lend.

A fragment of the interest provided by Simple Earn accounts also comes from staking. For this option, the interest rates range from 1% to 37%. Users can deposit multiple cryptocurrencies into a single interest account. Moreover, OKX supports flexible and fixed deposit terms for most of its plans.

6. Nexo – Receive Up to 12% Interest on Stablecoins

Nexo is another leading platform that allows users to earn interest on crypto. It supports interest-earning accounts for 35 cryptocurrencies. The interest rate is determined by the user’s loyalty tier and the chosen crypto.

Nexo categorizes users into four loyalty tiers based on their NEXO holdings. NEXO is the native utility token of this crypto ecosystem. The four tiers are base, silver, gold, and platinum. Nexo also features a calculator that shows the interest rates offered with different parameters.

For instance, let’s say a user wants to deposit $100 worth of Bitcoin for 24 months. A base tier member will receive $1,081.60 BTC at the end of the term. In comparison, a platinum tier member will get $1,102.50 BTC.

On Nexo, the best DeFi interest rates are offered for Axie Infinity deposits – at 36%. And the lowest interest of 3% is offered for Dogecoin. Nexo also offers up to 12% on six stablecoins, including USDT, USDC, and BUSD. The interest is paid out daily and will be compounded over time.

Moreover, Nexo also has insurance to protect funds held by the platform, facilitating compliant DeFi interest accounts. And users can also withdraw their deposit anytime without losing the accrued interest. Crucially, the platform doesn’t charge any commission for adding, withdrawing, or holding funds.

Check out potential returns from Nexo’s interest accounts here.

7. YouHolder – Earn Bitcoin by Participating in Gamified Mining

YouHolder offers interest on crypto via its mining and loyalty programs. In ‘Cloud Miner’, users can engage with a crypto-mining simulator and earn rewards for completing tasks. In other words, this feature makes Bitcoin mining gamified, requiring no technical expertise from users.

But users will need ‘sparks’, collected via YouHolder’s ‘MultiHODL’ accounts. MultiHODL is an investment product that allows users to open a chain of loans and potentially earn returns. With these sparks, users can become cloud miners and earn Bitcoin without providing any CPU power. This way, users can get up to 0.02 BTC every month.

Alternatively, YouHodler also offers standard crypto savings accounts. This is available for 30 cryptocurrencies. Here, the best DeFi interest rates are offered for Litecoin and EOS at 15% and 13%, respectively. Stablecoins such as USDT and USDC yield 12%.

Users can also boost the APY by up to 15% by increasing their loyalty tier. A user’s loyalty level is determined by the volume of their MultiHODL trading accounts. A higher loyalty tier will also lead to better miner rewards.

Check out the interest rates offered by YouHolder here.

8. Crypto.com – Boost DeFi Interest Rates by Holding CRO Tokens

Crypto.com, one of the best crypto exchanges in the market, offers savings accounts for many digital assets. Investors can earn interest on 22 cryptocurrencies here. Like Nexo, Crypto.com also has a tiered structure for its members.

Crypto.com has its own native token, CRO, for this purpose. Users who hold CRO tokens in their Crypto.com wallet for at least six months can unlock higher interest rates. The best DeFi interest rates are reserved for users with at least 40,000 CRO tokens in their Crypto.com wallet.

The highest APY on Crypto.com is 12.5%, offered on Polkadot. Bitcoin, on the other hand, receives a maximum APY of 1.5%. Users can choose between flexible or fixed lock-in periods. And what’s more, users can deposit tokens to their Crypto.com wallet and start earning interest immediately.

The Crypto.com DeFi wallet interest rate depends on the chosen protocol. This feature is currently available for 32 cryptocurrencies. Protocol options include Compound Lending, Cosmos Staking, and Yearn Earn V2.

The interest is accrued daily and will be paid to users weekly. Moreover, users can look for Crypto.com’s ‘Flash Rewards’ campaigns. This allows users to lock in cryptocurrencies for a short term (ex, 7 or 14 days) and receive a higher DeFi interest rate.

Get more information about Crypto.com Earn here.

9. AQRU – Set up DeFi Interest-Earning Accounts With Fiat Money

AQRU provides a range of crypto investment products and tools. This includes multiple interest-earning accounts for digital assets. Currently, the platform offers the best DeFi interest rates on USDC at 10%. Other supported cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Users can choose between uncollateralized and over-collateralized options. Interestingly, AQRU doesn’t require users to transfer crypto to earn interest. Instead, fiat money can be deposited via credit cards or bank transfers. AQRU will automatically convert the funds into the chosen cryptocurrency.

Moreover, client funds can be withdrawn as fiat or crypto. Those who prefer a long-term investment option can consider AQRU Trend or Ten products. The Trend plan supports USDC and has historically achieved a return of 728% over two years.

The Ten product, on the other hand, allows investors to diversify into the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap. However, the main downside of AQRU is that investment product terms can change at a moment’s notice. For instance, currently,  the USDC account is only available with a minimum deposit requirement of $250,000.

Learn more about AQRU Earn products and rates here.

10. Ledn – BTC & USDC Savings Accounts With up to 9.50% APY 

Ledn is a fintech company that facilitates crypto lending and borrowing. It offers two crypto interest-bearing accounts – Bitcoin and USD Coin. The main attraction of Ledn is that it stipulates no minimum balance or lock-up terms.

For Bitcoin, Ledn offers up to 1.50% APY. Users can withdraw up to 100 BTC every seven days. On the other hand, USDC savings accounts are offered up to 9.5% APY. With this option, withdrawals of up to 1 million USDC every seven days.

However, USD Coin withdrawals come with a $15 fee. Interest accrues daily and is compounded and paid every month. Moreover, Ledn clients can also trade between their Bitcoin and USDC savings accounts seamlessly.

Ledn also offers transparency with its Proof-of-Reserves attestation. This allows users to verify that their assets are included in the periodic reports of the company. Each client is offered a unique hashed ID, and they can match this with the account balances on the firm’s website.

Read more about the crypto interest rates offered by Ledn.

What are DeFi Interest Rates?

DeFi interest rates refer to the annual percentage yield (APY) available to crypto investors. The best crypto interest rates can vary significantly from one provider to another. This is because each platform has an algorithm that determines the interest rate based on the supply and demand of the chosen cryptocurrency.

Nevertheless, DeFi wallet interest rates are usually much higher when compared to traditional bank accounts. This is because DeFi platforms do not base their yields on central bank interest rates

How Do DeFi Interest Rates Work?

In this section, we take a closer look at how DeFi platforms allow users to earn passive income through crypto.

Yield Farming

In yield farming, users lend their crypto holdings to decentralized finance platforms. These funds will be added to a liquidity pool. The pool will generate trading fees, which will be distributed among liquidity providers.

The DeFi interest earned from yield farming depends on the demand for the token and the liquidity pool terms.

Staking 

In staking, users lock up digital assets for a certain period to support the operations of a blockchain or to participate in the consensus mechanism. In exchange, users will earn rewards.  Staking is typically available for proof-of-stake tokens, such as Ethereum, Cardano, and Solana.

However, the downside is that staking often requires users to deposit their tokens for a fixed term. This means that the funds cannot be accessed until the term is over. Given the volatility of cryptocurrencies, the value of the token could decline, and the investor might end up losing money.

DeFi Lending

The lending platform handles all the administrative and technical aspects of the lending process, including borrower vetting, loan issuance, collateral, and repayment tracking. In return, investors will earn interest on their funds.

Is DeFi Interest Worth It?

There are many ways to generate passive income from crypto. For instance, crypto savings accounts offer a flexible way to earn interest. In some cases, yields are less competitive than other DeFi products, but users can withdraw their deposits at any time.

However, other products, such as ‘dual investments’ and ‘dual assets’ can be complex and risky. This is because there is more reliance on the value of the crypto assets increasing.  Therefore, it’s paramount to carefully consider the risks involved before investing in any DeFi product.

Moreover, investors should also consider factors such as smart contract vulnerabilities, lack of consumer protection, hacks, and market fluctuations. These are further threats that could lead to loss of funds. Nevertheless, investors can mitigate the risk by diversifying their assets across multiple DeFi products and platforms.

Key Terms & Conditions of DeFi Interest Accounts

As discussed, crypto interest-bearing accounts come in all shapes and sizes. Therefore, crypto holders should read through the terms before choosing a DeFi product.

Here are the most important terms and conditions to be aware of when looking for the best DeFi interest rates.

APRs and APYs

Annual Percentage Rate or APR is the simple interest rate charged over a year. This applies to the interest paid by borrowers. For example, if a user borrows $1,000 worth of BTC with a 5% APR, they will pay $50 in interest over a year.

Annual Percentage Yield or APY, on the other hand, is the interest rate earned by investors. For example, if the investor deposits $5,000 worth of ETH into a savings account with an APY of 10%, they will earn $500 in interest over a year.

Total Value Locked 

Total value locked (TVL) refers to the total market value of all the crypto funds currently locked in a DeFi platform’s smart contracts. TVL helps investors understand the adoption level of a DeFi product before investing.

Large-cap coins usually attract a higher TVL, meaning more liquidity. This makes is seamless to withdraw tokens from the DeFi product.

Collateral

If choosing a DeFi lending or crypto savings account, investors should also understand collateralization. As noted above, the provider lends the crypto to borrowers.

To reduce the risk, providers require borrowers to collateralize the loan. This offers security to the lender if the borrower defaults on the loan. In this case, the lender can liquidate the collateral and recover the loan amount.

Put otherwise, before choosing a DeFi lending account, investors should check whether the provider requires collateral from the borrower. Staking, on the other hand, involves no collateral.

Fixed and Flexible Lock-in Periods

Some DeFi interest accounts require users to lock their assets for a fixed time. During this time, users cannot withdraw their funds. While some providers might permit an early withdrawal they will likely charge a penalty,

Flexible crypto interest accounts, on the other hand, allow users to withdraw funds at any time. While these accounts typically offer lower interest rates than fixed-term accounts, they offer greater liquidity and flexibility.

Conclusion

In summary, there are many crypto platforms that offer high DeFi interest rates to investors. When choosing a provider, investors need to consider the platform’s reputation, collateral, deposit terms, and interest frequency.

Our research suggests that Coinbase is one of the best DeFi platforms to select at the current time. It has a good track record, an impressive return of up to 693.8%, and a number of entry options depending on how much the investor has at his/her disposal.

FAQs